Safe Design of

Portland Cement Plants

L. Harvey Kirk III, MSHA

Atlantic Alliance Symposium
September 25-26, 2008 – Lansdowne Resort, Leesburg, VA
 Safe by Design
(Inherently Safe)

A process, plant, equipment or product that

has purposely incorporated in it certain
physical and/or chemical characteristics that
noticeably reduce
hazardous conditions
and the risk of injury
and illness resulting
from its use or
operation.
 Safe by Design -
A Personal Experience

• $400 M plant
expansion &
modernization
• Double plant
production capacity
• Equipment &
technology:
quantum leap up
 Safety Pre-Planned for
Construction Phase
• Early decision by
Corporate Risk Mgmt
& Insurance broker
• OCIP – Owner
Controlled Insurance
Policy
 Safe by Design
Promoted at Plant Level

• No corporate
safety dept.
• Began as part of
plant input &
review process
• Champions:
Plant Mgr. &
Manufacturing VP
• Plant-level team assembled
– All engineers & technical managers
• Production, Maintenance, Environmental,
Project, Quality, Safety
– Key process & maintenance personnel
 Safety woven throughout project

• Began at concept
level
• Specifications
• Design review
• Contractor pre-bid
/ qualification
• Construction phase
• Commissioning &
Start-up
 Key Safety
Concepts &
Concerns
• Fire / explosion
• Preheater vessels
• Noise attenuation
• Equipment guarding
• Manual material handling
• Fall protection / Safe access
• Maintenance safety / Lockout systems
• Signage / Color coding
• Illumination
 Design Specifications
• A lesson learned…
• Safety specifications written, just as for:
– Site preparation and grading
– Mechanical and electrical systems
– Structural steel, concrete, etc.
• Resources
– MSHA and corporate standards
– Best Practices
• Construction, Chemical, Europe, ASSE, Local, Personal
• All other specs reviewed for and modified to
address safety issues
• Incorporated into Purchase Orders
First of all… No explosions, please
 Coal Fire & Explosion Prevention
• Modern coal mill & peripheral equipment
• Pulverization in inert atmosphere
• CO sensors for incipient
combustion

Coal Mill DC bags grounded

to eliminate static charges
 Coal Fire & Explosion Protection

Redundant systems
• Explosion venting
• CO2 inundation
• Suppression
• Isolation
Explosion
Protection

Suppression

Venting

Isolation
 CO2 Inerting
System

SA = Simple Asphyxiant,
Odorizer added
CO2 Injection

Vapor or Liquid
 Noise Attenuation
• Individual equipment: spec ≤ 85 dBA
• Fans, mills, compressors & blowers
• Silencers
• Noise barrier materials
• Noise absorbing materials
• Power transmission equipment
• Vibration dampening
• Laboratory equipment included
 Separation
Silencer

Insulated
housing Silencers
*
Decoupling
material on
ductwork

Silencer &
Anti-vibration
mount

Sound
absorbing
material
 * *
*
Duct wrapping

Silencer;
Fan duct
insulation not
yet installed Verification:
noise levels
attenuated to
specification
Signs &
Labels
Travelways & Work Platforms

9
 Work Platforms & Travelways

Folding & other non-conventional

work platforms installed
 350-lb. skylights, perimeter fall protection cables and other
anchor points installed (for construction & maintenance later)
Missed crossover walkways between buildings
 Vessel Cleaning

Air cannons
Cleaning platforms
 Lockout
Systems

No Local Disconnect Switches

(Some Installed Later)
 Equipment Guarding
• Specification: Meet MSHA requirements
• Purchase Order: Meet MSHA & OSHA
requirements
– Suppliers were back-charged & payment
delayed
– Deficiencies corrected before start-up
• Engineer worked one month designing
guards
– Used MSHA Guide to Equipment Guarding
 As-received:
Stop cord only

As-built:
Guards all around
 As-received:
No motion sensor
guard

As-Built:
Guard fabricated and
installed on-site
 Lifting eye & hoist provided

As-received:
Inadequate guard

As-built:
Improved guard
 Manual Material
Handling
In addition to automatic
packer & palletizer…

Vacuum-Assist Bag Lifter

Auto-Leveling / Rotating Pallet Supports

 Radioactive Source
Devices for
Measurement

Radioactive source

Gamma ray receiver Extra shielding &

and sensor “tail” sign installed in
some locations
Illumination

Specified Conformance to ANSI / ISO Standards

Thank You -- Any Questions ???

L. Harvey Kirk III, CSP

Senior Mine Safety & Health Specialist
Division of Safety & Health
Metal & Nonmetal Mine Safety & Health
Mine Safety & Health Administration
1100 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22209-3939
Ph. (202) 693-9617
E-mail: kirk.lewis@dol.gov